In a tragic turn of events, a male individual by the name of Shirmarkco Carson was killed in a violent incident inside a home on Glastonbury Street on Detroit's west side. The residence belonged to his mother. Also killed in the incident was a woman named Monica Botello. The tragic discovery was made after Botello's eight-year-old daughter, who was in the house at the time of the killings, called 911 from her mother's cell phone to report the emergency.
She informed the dispatcher that her mother was in the basement and that a man was dead. Fortunately, the young girl and her six-year-old half-sister, who was also present, were not physically harmed as they were upstairs and did not witness the shootings.
The investigation into the double homicide led Detroit police to identify two suspects: Derrick Dennard Smith, 42, and a second individual. Smith, who had an extensive criminal history including convictions for armed robbery, kidnapping, and felony firearms, was apprehended in California a few months after the incident. The second suspect was arrested later. The motive for the killings was not immediately released by the authorities. The 911 call made by the brave eight-year-old girl was released by the police in the hopes that it would encourage witnesses to come forward with any information they might have.
Following their arrests, both suspects faced legal proceedings. The case against Derrick Dennard Smith went to trial, where he was ultimately convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of torture. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murders, with an additional sentence of 60 to 90 years for the torture convictions, as he was sentenced as a fourth habitual offender. The legal outcome for the second suspect was not as clearly detailed in the available information. The testimony of a witness who was granted immunity was crucial in the case against Smith, detailing his plans for a robbery.
